International Lightning Flashes Fall 2020, Volume 78, No. 4 • Sailing World Feature on Ched Proctor • John S. Barnes NSHF Nomination • Member Spotlight: Waswasee 3, Dr. Robinson • One-Day Regattas • Tips From the Pointy End • Confessions of a New Boat Owner Lightning Major Sanctioned Events Updates as of November 1, 2020 Regatta Update 2020 Schedule of Events December 2-5. Postponed to February 2021. An- South American Championship – Tomine, Colombia nouncement to be made in November 2020. 2021 Schedule of Events Winter Championships, Southern Circuit, Part I: St Petersburg, Florida March 20-24, 2021 Deep South Regatta, Southern Circuit, Part II: Savannah, Georgia March 25-27, 2021 European Championship – Alexandroupolis, Greece June 20-25, 2021 Canadian Open Championship – Tentatively Thunder Bay, Ontario Summer 2021 – date to be announced. Harken Blockheads Youth World Championship Tentatively July 7-11, 2021 Sheboygan, WI, USA Atlantic Coast Championship – Tentatively Wickford, RI, USA July 2021 Women's, Juniors and Masters North American August 4-7, 2021 Championships – Jamestown, PA, USA North American Championship – Cleveland, OH, USA August 8-14, 2021 2022 Schedule of Events Master World and World Championships May 12-22, 2022 Wrightsville Beach, NC USA Please watch the ILCA Website for updates on events. As we are all anxious to get out sailing, we must remember that member safety is our #1 priority. When it is safe to sail in your area, get out in your boat and have some fun! Sail with your immediate family, let your spouse or kids take the helm. Do some point to point sailing. Take a picnic lunch out with you, use the boat as a platform to jump off of and go for a swim. Be safe and enjoy your Lightning. Racing will come back, possibly to some areas sooner than others. Use this time to re-connect with your local Fleet and District. We Get Results! In the past 8 years, our boats have won every major regatta: • EVERY SOUTHERN CIRCUIT • EVERY NORTH AMERICANS • EVERY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Boats Made to Your Specifications We are dedicated to the Lightning and committed to serving all Lightning sailors Allen Boat Company Call Tom Jr. 716-842-0800 or email: [email protected] • 200 Cornwall Ave • Buffalo, NY 14215 Table of Contents 04 President’s Message 05 Todd Wake – ILCA Life Member 06 Chief Measurer’s Message 07 How You Can Support the ILCA 09 Secretary’s Report 10 Treasurer’s Report 11 Shop the ILCA Class Store 12 Good Guys Do Finish First – Ched Proctor 16 Tips From the Pointy End 19 Classic Lightning – Nomination of John S Barnes for the NSHF 25 Classic Lightning – Passion for a Pandemic 27 Florida Winter Series 28 Lightning Family News 31 In the Spotlight – Wawasee Three 34 In the Spotlight – Dr Kevin Robinson 35 Confessions of a New Lightning Owner in a Time of COVID 37 Sailing Course and Summer Training Camp 2020 in Kotka 39 Finnish National Championship 41 2020 and the One-Day Regatta 41 60th Anniversary Roman C. Brotz Memorial Regatta 42 Corn Roast Regatta – Charleston Harbor Lightning COVID Cup Championship 43 Carson Challenge – Southhampton Clambake Regatta 44 White Cap regatta 46 25th Annual Bare Bones Regatta 47 69th Frigid Digit 50 Champagne and Classic Regatta 52 Fontelieu One Design Regatta (ODR) and CT/RI District Championships 53 2020 Championship of Champions Regatta 54 10th Annual Wild Oyster Regatta 56 Classifieds Information 57 Upcoming Events 2021 Publication Schedule Flashes Newsletter Promote Your Company! February 1 Publication - January 10 deadline Support the Class and advertise your company May 1 Publication - April 10 deadline It’s a win – win! September 1 Publication - August 10 deadline Lighting sailors support those companies that support December 1 Publication - November 10 deadline the Class! Flash Blasts Current Flashes Advertising Rates per issue: Monthly E-mail Blasts on the 15th of each month. 1/4 page $65 3.75” X 5.1” Deadline is 7 days prior to the e-mail date. 1/2 page $100 7.76” X 5.1” Full page $170 7.65” X 10.4” During busier months (June, July and August) and, as needed, we will also add a second monthly blast on With bleeds 8.625” X 11.25” the first of each month. Ads must be in PDF format and 300 dpi or higher. Please send ads in color format. Please send your submissions to the Class Office: [email protected] For more information or to place your ad, please con- tact the Class Secretary Jeffers at (727) 942-7969 or If you would like to advertise in these publications email: please contact Executive Secretary Laura Jeffers at [email protected] (727) 942-7969 or via the above email. 3 President’s Message Hugh Hutchison Shining a Light on History ing benefits in other ways, not the least of which is the effort to scan and publish all of our historical records. The Lightning Class has a long and storied history. The history is populated by the some of the most accom- With lead funding supplied by the Mary Huntsman plished one-design sailors in the world. The names of History Fund and a focused fundraising effort through Allen, Goldsmith, Eichenlaub, Shore, Fisher, Lutz, Lin- our classic boat group led by Bob Astrove, the Class ton, “Tito,” Proctor and now Conte, among others, ap- expects to have the scanned documents available on- pear repeatedly throughout the list of champions. They line before the end of the year. I can personally attest are joined by many other iconic names from the world to the fun of reliving many of the events of the past of sailing that have competed in our boats and added and being reminded of the people who have been such to the richness of our history. The accomplishments an integral part of the Class over the years. There will of many others who have successfully competed year be an opportunity to look up and follow the history of after year in regattas across the country and around your boat, the history of various regattas and the his- the world speak to the impact our Class has had on in- tory of your competitors as you never could before. It numerable lives. is simply another resource available to Lightning Class members that is among the unique features of our The story, however, is not just about participants and Class. I hope you will consider responding to Bob’s call successes on the racecourse. It is also the story of for contributions in support of this worthy project and multiple generations of families enjoying simple rec- thereafter sit back and enjoy the fruits of this effort. reational sailing on a weekend afternoon. It is also the story of social activities and the strong bonds of A Modest Proposal to Reduce the Funding Gap friendship formed within fleets and among competitors The dramatic reduction in regatta activity has certainly that define who we are. Our history is reflected in the had a negative impact on our budget this year. Fortu- laughter of competitors, the communal lifting of Dark nately, we have the resources to weather the storm. ‘n Stormies and the anticipation of renewing social re- Nevertheless, there is one area of our budgeted in- lationships year after year in new and different venues. come stream that is obviously lagging this year—Crew These attributes are not unique to the Lightning Dues. Sanctioned regattas require that all skippers and Class, of course, although our history is longer than crew be current ILCA members. We all know that we most. One of the unique features of the Class, how- frequently recruit different crew members for differ- ever, is that much of this history has been detailed ent regattas, and, as a result, it is not unusual for crew on a contemporary basis in the issues of Flashes, the dues to be paid at the regatta where each new crew Class newsletter that has been published routinely for member participates. The lack of regattas has clearly decades. Moreover, for the majority of its history, the curtailed the collection of crew dues this season. Lightning Class published yearbooks that compiled the ILCA crew memberships are a mere $10 per year. I stories of significant events related to the Class on an suggest and request that you consider investing in the annual basis. These publications not only tell our story equivalent of two crew dues for your boat this year by in written form but contain the photographic record making an additional twenty-dollar contribution to the of events that give vitality to the written word. The Class. It’s not much, but, if every skipper made such a written record was clearly authored with enthusiasm contribution, it would go a long way toward closing the and reflects the passion with which our members are income gap that unforeseen circumstances have im- devoted to the Class. posed on us this year. I recognize that many members All of this is remarkable in its own right but of marginal are on tight budgets, but, to the extent that you can, value if it is only accessible to the very few that have every little bit helps. Of course, contributions in excess been long-time members of the Class and have saved of your regular membership dues are tax deductible, their copies of this treasure trove of information. The which is an additional benefit. list of Class members falling into this category is, not We are all looking forward to the return of some sem- surprisingly, pretty short. No longer. While our sailing blance of normalcy so that we can resume our familiar activities have been limited this year by the pandemic, sailing schedule.